English

The Randstad Region is an industrial and metropolitan conurbation occupying an area of peat and clay lowlands in west-central Netherlands. The Randstad Region consists of major Dutch industrial cities extending in a crescent (open to the south-east) from Utrecht in the east to Dordrecht in the south and to Lelystad in the north. The Randstad Region is one of the most important economic and densely populated areas in the north-west of Europe. The regions form a ring of four large urban agglomerations (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht), as well as a number of medium-sized and smaller towns, such Almere, Delft, Leiden and Haarlem. These closely linked agglomerations are situated around the green heart of Holland; a green area which provides the region not only healthy fresh air but also room for agricultural activity and for rest and recreation. This combination of space for business activity, residential areas and recreation makes the Randstad an attractive region both in which to live and to locate businesses.